Cable connecter fitting



June 21, 1938. w. M. SELIG CABLE CONNECTER FITTING Filed July 16, 1936zilii a lllfllll/ll INVENTOR.

Patented June 21, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CABLE CONNECTER FITTING William M.Selig, Brighton, Mass., assignor to Charles D, White Company, Boston,Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 16, 1936, SerialNo. 90,838

My present invention relates to cable connecters and more especially toconnecter fittings provided with inspection apertures such that aninsulating bushing provided within the fittings may be readily inspectedafter installation of the fittings. Q

Prior fittings have unsatisfactorily solved the problem of theinspection of the required insufit lating bushing in connecter fittingsmainly because of the fact that the problem was attacked by modifyingthe body portion thereof whereas the connecters .do not make it possiblecompletely to solve the problem in this manner. Mere provision ofwindows or openings in the body of the connecters has-in fact proved tobe inadequate because the armored cable used therewith terminates withinthe fittings short of the outlet boxes with which they are assembledand, as a result, these windows or openings do not enable inspection ofthe bushing to be made after installation with any great degree ofeifectiveness or ease. These facts will be more clearly understood froman inspection of Fullman Patent #1369347 which is typical of priorfittings and over which the present invention is intended as animprovement and over which the present invention has importantdistinctions and advantages.

,Among the objects and advantages of my present invention are simplicityof construction, ease of manufacture and assembly, low cost both ofmanufacture, repair and replacement, eiiectiveness of inspection bothbefore andafter assembly with an outlet box and the provision ofinspection apertures in a. threaded extension of the fitting body sothat they lie within the outlet box on the room side thereof instead ofbehind the outlet box wall as in known fittings, and thus permittingre-checking after installation is completed.

Other and-further objects and advantages will be understood by thoseskilled in this art or will be apparent or pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the invention witha cable inplace and showing fragmentarily the position of the outlet box wall withrelation to the invention;

Figure 2 is a, vertical sectional view through Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fitting by itself;

of a modified fitting;

and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure l of the modification of Figure 5.

In Figures 1-3, inclusive, the numeral l indicates the body portion ofthe fitting which is exteriorly threaded as at H and which has a centralannular raised bead or ridge l2 extending around its periphery.Rearwardly of the annular bead l2'is a clamp portion consisting of asemi-circular piece l3 terminating in an apertured ear H, and a secondsemi-circular piece similarly terminating in an apertured ear, thesebeing respectively designated by the numerals i5 and I6. Piece I3 isunitary-with the body portion l0 whereas piece I5 is slightly spacedtherefrom (the space being indicated by the numeral H) but otherwise isa continuation of piece l3. Strengthening portion [8 of triangularnature lies at the transition point, that is, between pieces l3 and I5.A suitable screw is passes through apertured ears l4 tures 22. It isclear that portion acts as a stop or abutment for the insulatingbushing.

Numeral 23 indicates a clamping nut which is interiorly threaded forengagement with the threads ll of body portion l0. After the otherwiseassembled fitting is installed in proper relationship to an outlet box,the rear wall of which is fragmentarily shown at 24, the nut 23 isthreaded on threads Ii and tightened against wall 24 thus completing theinstallation.

Numeral 25 designates an insulating bushing usually made of fibrousmaterial and colored red. This bushing is positioned within the fittingabutting extension or fiange 20 as will be particularly clear fromFigure 2. This bushing is cylindrical, is split along one side as shownat 26 and has a flanged forward end 21 against which the forward edge ofarmored cable 28 abuts. The forward cable edge is sharp and frequentlyragged but is thus permitted to save from being damaged the insulatedelectrical current carrying wires 29 which pass through the armoredcable and proj'ect forwardly through extension 20 of the fitting andthence into the outlet box for connection purposes.

inspection apertures 22 lie forwardly of outlet box wall 24, that is tosay, the inspection apertures are on the room side of wall 24 where theyare accessible for re-checking or re-inspection purposes. Thus thepresence and proper positioning of insulating bushing 25 can not only beinspected prior to the installation of the outlet box but afterwards aswell. This is both highly desirable and important because the acts ofinstalling and connecting the outlet box, the manipulation of thefitting therethrough and tightening of clamping nut 23 may causemaladjustment of the bushing 25 with consequent partial or total loss ofthe necessary functioning thereof thus giving rise to the possibility ofsubsequent damage and short circuiting with the attendant dangers ofsuch.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have illustrated a modification of my invention.These figures show a set screw type fitting which is fundamentally thesame as the fitting already described. The modified fitting, however,has no annular bead 12 although it may be provided with such if desiredor preferred. The main difference between the fitting of Figures 1-3 andthat of Figures 5-6 lies in the manner of securing the fitting to thearmored cable 28. The rear end of the latter fitting is pinched on oneside to a V-shape. A set screw passes through an aperture in one of thesides of the V substantially normal thereto 2,120,993 From Figures 1 and2 it will be clear that the and impinges against cable 28 to completethis much of the assembly. Otherwise, the modified fitting is the sameas the preferred form as is indicated by the use of similar numeralsthereon. No space or split i1 is necessary in the fitting of Figures 5-6as will be understood.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is intended as illustrativerather than limitative and that suitable variations may be made to suitrequirements or conditions. While ordinarily the fittings will be madein sizes having openings of %H, {/gAII, 1/21! 1!. 11/4, 1%! a d 2!!I I ymake them of any size, of any approved material and in any relativeproportions. The threaded fitting portion as well as the extension maybe straight or tapered and either round or square on the forwardcorners. Where the body and extension are integral rather than unitarythey may be united by welding, brazing, soldering or any othersatisfactory manner. Rather the invention is to be defined by thesubjoined claim.

I claim:

A connecter fitting for joining a conductor to an outlet box, saidfitting comprising a body into which the conductor and an insulatingbushing are to extend and having at its inner end a protecting flange,and means to secure said body to the outlet box, the fitting having aplurality of apertures behind said flange to facilitate inspectlon todetermine the presence of said bushing.

WILLIAM M. SELIG.

